Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Network Rail presentation “Operating Performance Model – DFTO Update” of June 2026, whether her Department uses the estimates that a 0.5 percentage-point improvement in T-3 punctuality would generate approximately £60 million in additional revenue and a 0.5 percentage-point improvement in cancellations would generate approximately £120 million in additional revenue; and whether these figures represent her Department's current assessment of the revenue impact of those improvements.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The estimates referenced in Network Rail’s June 2026 “Operating Performance Model – DFTO Update” presentation were produced as modelling assumptions to illustrate the potential relationship between operational performance improvements and revenue outcomes, and are not used by the Department as a current forecast of additional revenue.

Revenue impacts will vary depending on a range of factors, including passenger demand, wider economic conditions and the nature of the performance improvements delivered.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the Department expects reviews undertaken by Network Rail in support of continuing declarations of congested infrastructure to be published; and what the Department’s policy is on public transparency in relation to this.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Network Rail will continue to abide by the requirements of The Railways (Access, Management and Licensing of Railway Undertakings) Regulations 2016 for as long as they are applicable. Any formal declaration of congestion is reviewed annually as a minimum with relevant high level updates being published on the Network Rail website via a Register of Congested Infrastructure and the Network Statement.

More information can be found on the Network Rail Website here; https://www.networkrail.co.uk/industry-and-commercial/information-for-operators/

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the Early Indicators of Likely Congestion issued by Network Rail in relation to the Acton Lane, Washwood Heath and Crewe power supply areas constitute advisory Early Indicators of Likely Congestion or formal declarations of congested infrastructure under Regulation 26 of the Railways (Access, Management and Licensing of Railway Undertakings) Regulations 2016.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Acton Lane, Washwood Heath and Crewe are all subject to Early Indicators of Congested Infrastructure. At the time of writing this response, none of these three areas of the network have satisfied the test for congested infrastructure under The Railways (Access, Management and Licensing of Railway Undertakings) Regulations 2016 (The Regs).

Early Indicators of Likely Congestion are non-binding and advisory only with no legal or contractual status. As this notice is non-binding, it does not trigger the requirement for Network Rail to undertake either a Capacity Analysis, or a Capacity Enhancement Plan. Should the circumstances require a formal declaration of congested infrastructure then the relevant process will be followed in order to comply with the regulations.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, in light of the extreme hot weather this summer, whether her Department is planning to review the B101 regulations for school buildings.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The department takes periods of hot weather and heatwaves seriously and has published a climate risk assessment on GOV.UK: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/impact-of-uk-climate-change-risk-on-the-delivery-of-education/summary-of-findings-in-relation-to-3-climate-risks-overheating-flooding-and-water-scarcity.

The department publishes non-statutory guidance on ventilation, thermal comfort and indoor air quality in schools in Building Bulletin 101, available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/building-bulletin-101-ventilation-for-school-buildings. There are no plans to update this guidance.

The department has recently launched a new construction framework and updated design standards, setting out requirements for all new and refurbished school buildings delivered by the department in England, which are available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/design-standards-employers-requirements. These standards are separate to Building Bulletin 101. They cover overheating risk assessments which account for rising temperatures associated with climate change, as well as external shading, cross ventilation and the use of cooling through ground source heat pumps.

Found: Watch the meeting Members present: Mr Toby Perkins (Chair); Julia Buckley; Jonathan Davies; Barry Gardiner

Found: Watch the meeting Members present: Mr Toby Perkins (Chair); Julia Buckley; Jonathan Davies; Barry Gardiner

Found: Watch the meeting Members present: Julia Buckley; Jonathan Davies; Barry Gardiner; Sarah Gibson; Chris

Submit Evidence (by 21 Oct 2026)

In its latest advice to the government, the CCC said that climate change is already disrupting life in the UK and said that the UK’s national approach to climate adaption is “not fit for purpose”. It has also argued that the government’s third National Adaptation Plan (NAP3) is not adequately preparing the UK for climate change.